Cosmetic Damage To Home Siding

Hail damage to vinyl siding.

Cosmetic damage to home siding.

Cosmetic damage is usually defined as marring pitting or other. Cosmetic damage exclusions largely apply to the exterior elements of a home or business such as the roof siding windows or doors. It s generally defined as damage that affects the appearance of a property but does not interfere with the function of the damaged area. Impacts to the surface can result in cracks.

Most homeowner s insurance policies will cover damage to all kinds of siding when clearly caused by weather. Cosmetic damage like a hole from the impact of a softball or a dent to aluminum siding from a similar event is easy enough to patch or repair. Cosmetic damage while the matching issue involves repairing truly damaged or destroyed property and the ensuing problems that result when the repaired section of a roof siding or cabinetry. It s the same as if vandals had painted the side of the house purple.

Those cracks in the face of the eifs allow water and moisture to seep behind the surface. You will need more replacement siding with vinyl and aluminum siding materials than other types of siding. In an attempt to limit coverage for non functional damage insurers have begun to include the cosmetic damage exclusion. Eifs are vulnerable to damage due to the combination of a thin stucco coating over a soft base make.

If you find that you re having to repair your siding often or the need for maintenance has increased there may be a deeper issue with your siding that only a full siding replacement can solve. Vinyl and aluminum siding are most vulnerable to hail damage. You may want to determine whether filing a claim is worth it. Cosmetic damage while the matching issue involves repairing truly damaged or destroyed property and the ensuing problems that result when the repaired section of a roof siding or cabinetry for example does not match the remainder of the roof siding or cabinetry in appearance.

The principle of indemnity is to restore the insured to what they had before the loss and this insured had a roof with no dents. Water and moisture become trapped between the sheathing and the styrofoam portion of the finish system. While cosmetic it s damage and is covered. Robert hunter director of insurance for the consumer federation of america in washington d c says the big problem for homeowners is determining what constitutes cosmetic damage.

A home with siding that s dented keeps working but it looks terrible and will cause the home to drop in value says hunter. Some minor cosmetic damage may not be worth it after taking into consideration your out of pocket deductible and potential increase in premiums.